Nintendo and gaming fans have been eagerly anticipating the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct that occurred on April 2, as fans finally got new information about the successor to the original Nintendo Switch, with exciting new game releases, increased fidelity and performance for their favorite games, and questionable pricing.

It has been eight years since the release of the Nintendo Switch, and it’s been overdue for a new iteration. The Switch felt aging, with mediocre performance on some of the biggest games, like “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity” and “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.”

After years of rumors, speculation and a “first-look” teaser video from two months ago, Nintendo delivered on unveiling the Switch 2 with the launch strategy, lineup of games, accessories and how original Nintendo Switch games will be upgraded on the Switch 2.

The technical specifications were honestly surprising. The Switch 2, having a 1080p screen with up to 120 frames-per-second (fps) supported and games running in 4K resolution on TV mode, is a sigh of relief that Nintendo is finally keeping up with modern gaming.

Overall, we had some jaw-dropping announcements with the games shown, such as “The Duskbloods,” a new IP by “Elden Ring” creators, FromSoftware. The game appears eerily similar to the PlayStation cult classic, “Bloodborne.”

After years of fans wanting a sequel or even a remaster, FromSoftware decided to make their IP, as Sony owns Bloodborne, similar to FromSoftware creating the “Dark Souls” series after Sony owned the rights for “Demon’s Souls” and not doing anything with it in 2011.

The sinister 19th-century gothic/British setting, tied with the main character seemingly being an axe-wielding, gun-touting vampire, will surely please fans of “souls-like” games. Part of the surprise was that this game would be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, making this an amazing selling point for the system, even though the game will be released next year.

Learning after the direction that the game will be “multiplayer-focused” and described as “PvPvE” is a bit of a “turn-off” because I enjoy FromSoft’s single-player experiences. However, I’m still excited to learn more about The Duskbloods.

Nintendo themselves brought their “A game,” starting with “Mario Kart World,” an innovative, open-world take on the series. From Goombas to Cataquacks, virtually every common Super Mario enemy and NPC is playable in the game, even “Moo Moo,” a cow who was a stage hazard in previous Mario Kart titles.

The game is sure to be Switch 2’s marquee title, as the different modes, such as “Free Run” and “Knockout Tour,” are welcome additions and broaden the horizons of the Mario Kart series. All the racetracks are interconnected, so the Free Run mode allows players to explore the entire world, discovering shortcuts and secrets. Knockout Tour is a mode that most other racing games have, where you race on different tracks without loading times in between, and the last few players are eliminated every lap until there is only one racer remaining.

The innovation doesn’t stop with Mario Kart, as “Donkey Kong Bananza” was revealed, being a completely new, graphically stunning 3D platformer, being the first new Donkey Kong game in over a decade.

It looks similar to Super Mario Odyssey on the original Switch, so having a new Donkey Kong game replace the potential new 3D Mario game close to launch is interesting and welcome. The focus is especially on mining, with Donkey Kong able to dig and climb easily, making it a lot different and unique from the Mario games.

“Nintendo Switch 2 Editions” of original Switch games are upgrades taking advantage of the Switch 2’s new graphical power, and I’m glad to see Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and especially Metroid Prime 4 receiving 4K 60fps upgrades on the new system.

Nintendo GameCube classics being a part of their “expansion pack” online plan is a great motivator to buy their expanded online plan, and it is great to see 3rd party support coming on day one, such as Cyberpunk 2077, Yakuza Zero, Deltarune and many other 3rd party releases.

The Switch 2 is obviously a powerful system that warrants the $449 price tag (even though it is higher than usual for Nintendo) because its power seems to surpass competitors like the Steam Deck. But knowing that Mario Kart World will retail for $79.99 is something no one was prepared for.

When “Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” was released in 2023, Nintendo decided to raise the price for that game by $10, making it the only new Switch game to have the $70 price tag. This was seen as one of the most “anti-consumer” practices by Nintendo because it didn’t make sense for Nintendo to charge this amount on aging hardware, while PlayStation charges the same amount for 4K and high-performance gaming.

Nintendo’s continuing aggressive pricing strategies will set a precedent for other game companies to charge way more for games.

Speaking of pricing, the U.S. tariffs delaying the pre-orders of the system in the U.S. is concerning for people who already thought the Switch 2 was too expensive. Nothing is set regarding this situation at the moment of writing this other than the June 5 release date being unchanged, which makes sense, but it will potentially increase the system’s price.

Also, all the misinformation about the system has been plaguing potential excitement for the launch, which could’ve been easily alleviated with a blog post addressing all the frequently asked questions. Questions like the “game-key” releases, the prices of physical vs digital games, Switch 2 Edition games being on the game cart or a download code, the cost of the Switch 2 upgrades and countless other questions are still being asked a week after the direct.

Despite the peculiar pricing practices and pre-order delay, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a welcome upgrade to the original Switch. The new games they showed in the direct glow with creativity will surely be the next big hit for Nintendo, making this the best place for Nintendo’s latest in the best fidelity available.